This disclosure relates generally to a flange removal tool. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a flange removal tool for a weld and a flange of a device installed on a pressure vessel.
Many pressure vessels require the use of pressure switches, ports, and other devices to fill, monitor, and functionally use the pressure vessel. These devices need to be easily removed for replacement when they malfunction, are damaged, or during refurbishment of the pressure vessel. The fittings that hold these devices are welded into the pressure vessel. The fittings have internal threads that are used to receive the mating threads on the devices to be installed. The threaded connection does not create an airtight seal; therefore, a sealing flange is used on both the fitting and the device. After the two sealing flanges are in contact, a weld is used to seal the edges of the flanges together to form an airtight seal.
When the situation arises in which the device must be removed from the pressure vessel, the weld around the two sealing flanges is removed and the device is unthreaded from the fitting. Use of a grinder or specialized hand tool can result in too much material being removed from the flange on the fitting. If too much material is removed, the flange on the fitting could become too small to be utilized again. Using the specialized hand tool is time consuming because the operator must adjust the depth of the cutting/grinding edges, install on the flange, rotate a few times to perform grinding, and then remove the specialized hand tool to visually determine how much material was removed. The technician repeats the process until the correct amount of material has been removed. As such, there is a need for a flange removal tool that consistently removes a weld and a flange of a device installed on a pressure vessel in a time-efficient manner.